While working on Scream had to be iconic in its own right, working with Wes Craven must have been a treat for anyone in the horror industry. Craven is hailed as everything from a genius to a master of horror and so many beautiful accolades in between.
Skeet Ulrich was singing Craven’s praises in a recent interview with Collider where he discussed the making of the 1994 slasher icon, Scream. From hilarious one-liners to himself and Lillard knowing — or not knowing what kills they were responsible for, the interview touched on so many great sentiments for Scream fans.
Ulrich spoke about Craven and when he was asked if he remembered specific exchanges between himself and the director that made him want to shape Billy in a particular way. He answered with high praises of Craven and his teachings.
“I don’t remember the exact exchanges per see, but I do remember there were little nudges; that were just almost whispered as we walked by. From my recollection, most of it had to do with trying to instill a reaction in the other person. So you know it was a way to shape Billy but through what he was trying to achieve in the other person.
He went on to say that Craven was extraordinarily clever and a tone master of sorts; that he knew what he was shooting for with Scream.
“He was so psychological and so clear in each character and their role in the overall orchestra. He was kind of a tone master so anything he had to offer, you know, you always wanted to deliver whether it felt instinctually correct to you in that moment or not — he was that clever.”
The cast allowing themselves to be influenced and open to learning from someone as masterful as Craven undoubtedly helped them across the span of their careers, and it’s not surprising that they continue to share how his talent shaped them.
You can see Skeet Ulrich in Scream on HBO Max this spooky season, and don’t forget to binge all four films before the newest installment in the franchise hits theaters on January 14th, 2022.
